Knot of the Week: International Scouter’s Award

Here’s a stat that will blow your mind: If Scouts worldwide
formed their own country, they would comprise Earth’s 45th-largest nation—ahead
of Saudi Arabia, Australia, and the Netherlands.

That’s 28 million Scouts in 160 countries!

Sure, we in the BSA take pride in the fact that for close to
100 years, millions of Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Venturers have made the
organization strong in the U.S. But given those global numbers, it’s easy to
see that we represent just a fraction of the worldwide Scouting community. And
we honor our part in that, too.

In 2003, the BSA created the International Scouter’s Award.This square knot recognizes registered BSA Scouters for
their service to the international movement. You can travel several paths on
your way to earning this purple-and-white award. But they all involve
contributions to Scouting outside the U.S. Read on to find out more.

Choose from five basic categories, completing six total tasks
from three different categories, including:

Giving leadership to international Scouting

Giving leadership to international events held in the United
States

Giving leadership to international events held in other
countries

Educating self and others

Giving support to international Scouting

Each category offers different ways to complete its
requirements. Interested?

Get the complete list and the official application byclicking here (PDF). As you check off the requirements, you’re
helping promote the message of Scouting around the world. You’re growing,
too—soaking up some personal cultural perspective.

Whatever. It’ll be fun and enriching. So after completing at
least six tasks and getting approval from your local council’s international
representative and Scout executive, you can apply for the knot. Your council
must approve your application and forward it to the International Division.

Wear the knot with pride so others can see your contribution
to spreading Baden-Powell’s dream to all corners of the world.

Chime In: Share your experiences with Scouts from another
country in our comments section.

Read on: There's more about Scouting around the world in Scouting magazine's May-June 2008 issue. Click here to check it out.

Related

Interesting requirements. I’m intrigued that being an adult leader in a unit within the Trans-Atlantic or Far East Councils is not also a means of meeting one of the requirements (only the Direct Service Council is listed). I was a leader in a pack in Berlin, Germany (TAC). Many of our scouts were not US citizens or were bilingual/bicultural kids who were growing up overseas.

Browse by Category

Browse by Month

Now on Scoutingmagazine.org

Scouting magazine

Follow Scouting magazine

About

Bryan on Scouting is the official blog of Scouting magazine, a Boy Scouts of America publication. Scouting magazine is published five times a year and is received by 1 million registered adult volunteers.